friggin' cold, and the problems continue

-18° last night, -14° at 8 am. I must have had a dripping faucet because the drain to my kitchen froze so no kitchen sink or dishwasher.

This happened about 15 years ago and I thought I had insulated the drain well enough but I guess not.

During that same period years ago, the sewer pipe running to my septic tank froze...I think that then we didn't have any snow...we have about 9" now so hopefully that will insulate it....If I remember correctly, back then I had to bring a camping porta potty in the house for a week or too...sucked.

It's supposed to get up to 11° today so I'm going to wait till it's warm before I crawl under the house and try to defrost it.

Interesting note on how cold it got. The ocean by Boston was at 49° two weeks ago. Now the water in the bay is freezing so it's below 27°

That is terrible! 11 degrees should never be considered "warm". I hope it actually warms up a bit for you and everyone else who lives in an area of the country thats experiencing this awful cold snap!

I have heard of the statement: When it Rains, it Pours! But, you seem to be proving that when it Freezes, everything Freezes!

Open the cabinet doors for access under the sink! May want to just remove the doors until it warms a bunch! There is a metal access plate that sits under the dishwasher door. A couple of screws hold it in place. Remove the screws and then the metal panel. The inside of the panel has insulation on it or it sets between the panel and the under-workings. assure that it insulation is removed. Leave the access panel and dishwasher door open until it gets warmer.

Septic system pipe freezing clearly does suck! In Michigan we commonly see the drain field freezing and than the pipe between it and the Septic Tank. From there the pipe from the house to the Septic Tank and lastly the Septic Tank! That all started about twenty years ago when they changed the Building Code, which placed everything like a foot to 18" below the ground level. I know a few individuals that place Hay on top of their system to help from it freezing. But, as you know, that all has to be done in the Fall. Here's hoping that your Septic system stays liquid.

There is talk about a break in the cold temperatures starting early next week for us likely, middle to end of week for you.

The drain is actually frozen down in the crawl space. I need to get down there with a heat gun. This old house has a totally separate kitchen drain line into the sewer pipe and it's copper so the heat gun should work. Last time I stuck my kerosene torpedo heater in the outside opening and that worked but it stunk up the house....going to resist doing that.

UGH, I feel for you. We live in a very old, drafty duplex that had furnace issues a few years back (before we got the fids) and it got to 45 degrees in the house...not fun! Thankfully we haven't had issues since...knock on wood! Winter is always a cautious time for us, anything could go wrong and freeze or stop working. There was actually a car accident near our house last night that gave us no power for 3 hours...making the house drop from 71 to 55. Brr!! We go into the negatives this week! Frozen drains...I can't even imagine. Good luck and hoping they thaw quickly!

bill_e said:

The drain is actually frozen down in the crawl space. I need to get down there with a heat gun. This old house has a totally separate kitchen drain line into the sewer pipe and it's copper so the heat gun should work. Last time I stuck my kerosene torpedo heater in the outside opening and that worked but it stunk up the house....going to resist doing that.

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Crawl spaces!!! Nothing like the joy of crawl spaces in the Great White North! Been there on those things.

When I up-graded the Cottage two years ago, I went with a concrete crawl space (side walls and floor) and went with double 2" foam panels totally 4" of insulated side walls. So far, the snow wasn't melted from the outside of the wall, which is a good thing.

Heat tape? We use too wrap the drains and supply water pipes using electrical heat tape. They are a pain to install and then warp with insulated wrapping. Starting using them years ago when we had a like problem!

Prays are with you!

Sailboat, I worry about heat tape. Lots of reports of fires started by them (shorting out). This is only the second time in 28 years that this happened. I'll just have to insulate it better or figure out a way to get my heat to blow in there. last time, I cut a 2" opening in a heat duct that runs through there...apparently that wasn't enough.

bill_e said:

Sailboat, I worry about heat tape. Lots of reports of fires started by them (shorting out). This is only the second time in 28 years that this happened. I'll just have to insulate it better or figure out a way to get my heat to blow in there. last time, I cut a 2" opening in a heat duct that runs through there...apparently that wasn't enough.

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I understand your concerns regarding heat tape. Commonly installed with the wraps to close to each other, left on until they fail as a result of the covering coming off, or sharp edges cutting though the insulating cover.

Hey, what about installing an adjustable (floor or wall) vent opening. that should allow you to have the ability to adjust from a 4" x 8" opening down to near nothing. Most all Hardware stores have them.

Sailboat, I was thinking of something like that but I would "Y" that duct somewhere in my dirt basement and then add a separate duct into that space. That way I could control it from inside. Did I ever tell you that 260 year old houses suck?

bill_e said:

Sailboat, I was thinking of something like that but I would "Y" that duct somewhere in my dirt basement and then add a separate duct into that space. That way I could control it from inside. Did I ever tell you that 260 year old houses suck?

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So, you are not singing the joys of 'This Old House?'

I had a 100 year old home! Big monster! Build like a Brick Sh*t House, but other than the original owners, no one between us and them did anything! I never ran out of projects and heating it was like heating a barn! Got tired of working on a project on the Third floor and needing that special tool in the basement! Or, starting a project in the basement and remembering those needed tools are still way upstairs.

That "Y" duct sounds like a great idea!!!

-29*F This morning at my house....I feel your pain.

My pain will be when my oil delivery comes in Thursday.

bill_e said:

Sailboat, I was thinking of something like that but I would "Y" that duct somewhere in my dirt basement and then add a separate duct into that space. That way I could control it from inside. Did I ever tell you that 260 year old houses suck?

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I would love to spend some time in a 260 year old house! Imagine fantasizing about the folks who inhabited over the centuries, their thoughts, aspirations, trials, tragedies, views of the world, etc. That said, don't think I'd want to own one!

Do you have any historical information, such as family names, old photos, documents, etc?

Cold here too, not as cold as you guys but very cold.

The downstairs window heater broke so I'm avoiding going downstairs and the birds are all bundled up in the one room with a working heater.

Working on getting the reptiles in there as well.
Its not supposed to get THIS cold this far south!

18* down in Louisiana.

Scott said:

bill_e said:

Sailboat, I was thinking of something like that but I would "Y" that duct somewhere in my dirt basement and then add a separate duct into that space. That way I could control it from inside. Did I ever tell you that 260 year old houses suck?

Click to expand...

I would love to spend some time in a 260 year old house! Imagine fantasizing about the folks who inhabited over the centuries, their thoughts, aspirations, trials, tragedies, views of the world, etc. That said, don't think I'd want to own one!

Do you have any historical information, such as family names, old photos, documents, etc?

Click to expand...

Scott, we have a lot of documentation. My house ( or actually the old part of it) was built by a James Streeter. He fought as a minute man (NCO) in the battles of Lexington and Concord. I often think about it while sitting in the oldest part of the house that he was likely sitting in whats now the kitchen drinking some hard cider when someone rode up and said, "Hey Jim, grab your gun and shot, Those red coat bastards are marching on Lexington"

It was of course built with timber from the site, the new wing was built in 1850. My property was the site of the first grist mill in the town and my barn served as a backwoods Gin Mill during the prohibition.

That all being said, I'd prefer to be living in a well insulated plastic house.

I am so sorry! What a mess!

I will only add this... make sure your hair is completely dry before you go out or it may freeze and break off. Oh, and don't cry, because the same can happen to your eyelashes.

I speak from experience.

Defrosted the pipe, only took about 5 minutes with a heat gun. Went out and got some more pipe insulation and once it get's a bit warmer will go back outside and under to fix it. I sure remember being better able to crawl around in the crawl space 25 years ago

Yoohoo summer! we're up to 15 in the sun...now where where did I put those lawn chairs.

Sounds like fun, bill! I feel you - my kitchen sink cold water feed froze New Year's Day, but a space heater solved that.

Check into something like this: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Frost-King-12-ft-Water-Pipe-Heat-Cable-HC12A/100032792

I've ordered one or for myself just now, along with some insulation. Your comment on the electrified-heating tape is well-taken, I'll look more into that before considering it.

Happy (?) to say that at least in my drafty 100'ish year old home, the issue is we're being cooked alive at night, and the downstairs stubbornly stays much cooler than upstairs (poor insulation, single-pane bay windows, the usual culprits).

Scott,
Winter




Summer

Absolutely stunning, Bill, both summer and winter! You are fortunate in many ways to live in a pristine area surrounded by beauty.

I have to chuckle at the stately looks of your vintage home with a satellite dish! Imagine summoning an inhabitant from the late 1700s and explaining that antenna?!